Electric switch



July 20, 1943. s. s. GRADY ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June 50, 1942 **H@,|57

INVENTOR STEP/EH5 GR DY 7 ATTORNEY Patented July 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 2,324,621 ELECTRIC swircu Stephen S. Grady, Magnolia, N. 0.

Application June 30, 1942, Serial No. 449,644

Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches in general and more especially to electric switch devices designed to resist excessive vibrations re-- sulting from explosions and the like. Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved electric switch having an interposer to separate the main contacts of the switch operated by a switch arm associated with a spring-controlled toggle which will positively anchor the interposer either in current establishing or current interrupting position without danger of displacement by excessive vibrations or shocks such as accompany explosions of torpedoes,

bombs and the like whereby fully to satisfy the requirements of a reliable electric switch on board a battleship, torpedo boat, submarine chaser or other vessel engaged in or involved in an armed It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved electric switch device including safety fuses and an electric switch having'an interposer to separate the contacts of the switch operated by switch arm associated with a spring-controlled toggle which will positively anchor the interposer either in current establishing or in current interrupting position, making possible the nesting of the fuses and switch elements together so that a maximum compactness is achieved at a minimum cost so essen tial in war-faring vessels such as submarines where the conservation of space is one of the essential desiderata.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan of a panel equipped with a switch. device constituting the present invention in current interrupting position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 also in current interrupting position.

Fig. Bis an enlarged section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the device in current establishing position.

Fig. 4 is anenlarged section on the line 3- of Fig. 1 showing the device in current interrupting position. I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5- of Fig. 2 with the cover removed.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig, 5 with the cover removed.

In the embodiment shown there is provided a panel base or board i composed of some suitable insulating material such as hard vulcanized rubher, Bakelite or th like. The base I preferably has, as shown, a pocket or clearance 2 in the face 3 thereof to one side of the cheek plate 4 composed of insulated material such as Bakelite, hard vulcanized rubber and the like extending at right angles to the face 3 and secured to the cross bars 5 and (3 secured to the face 3 of the base I.

The element relied upon to into" 1101? the current is the interposer l, ccnsis g of a plate having a beveled front end portion 3 with the plane lower face slidably mounted and riding on the contact bars 9 and it] when a two-wire switch is contemplated as here shown. In such case the bars 9 and 10 ar disposed to either side of the cheek plate A and the-interposer 7 slides in the clearance between the lower edge of the cheek plate 4 and the upper faces of the bars 9 and I9.

The bars 9 and M are secured in place on the base I to either side of the cheek plate 2 by the binding posts H and t2 respectively extending through. the base I with the screw heads i3 disposed in recesses in the base i and the threaded portions extending outwardly of the face 3 and of the exposed faces of the bars 9 and H with nuts i5 and I6 thereon to lock the binding posts II and ii. in position. In addition to the posts ll and i2 there are also provided the connecting posts ll having the screw heads I9 and I9 engaging the end portions 2t and 2| of the flexible auxiliary conductors 22 and 23 respectively preferably enclosedin the customary insulating material as shown. lhese connecting posts H extend not only through the end portions 23 and 2| but also through the cross bar 6, the contact bars 9 and I9 respectively, clearing the contacts bars 9 and ID, and through the base i terminating in recesses in the base I to receive the nuts 24 in such recesses. I

The conductors Hand 23 are in turn connected to the ends of the contact plates 25 and 26 respectively. Each of these plates 25 and 26 has a front contact portion 21 parallel to the outer surfaces of the bars 9 and I0 and also has an outwardly inclined portion 28. On the sides of the contact portion 2'! there are formed the upwardly extending ledges 29 and 39 with the recesses 31 and 32 respectively therein to receive the cross bar 33 of the spring 94 having the parallel spring arms 35 and the free ends of which are secured to the cross bar 6 just under the connecting pieces 29 and 21, see Figs. 2 and 5. The spring 34 as shown yieldably maintains the plane plate portion 2! either in engagement with the upper sur- This plate 3? the pres lower edgeliS of the on .tc iiioi the actuator. ent instance, include an enlarged plate portion and an arm 33. The pivot pin for the plate Bl abutment pin which extends through the ar cuate slot 2 the toggle plate Lie toggle plate d3 has an extended linger as Jhich extends through the opening 55 formed in the interposer 1'. 'On the enlarged portion of the plate 33 and extending from the side thereof, there is provided the abut ent pin 36 to receiv one leg of the hairpin spring il, the other leg of which is secured at its free end to the abutmentpin ti extending through the arcuate slot 52. There is also provided a stop pin 13 extending from one side of the cheek plate 4 to cooperatewith the ed portion 38., From the parts so far described it will appear, see Fig, ithat when 39 is pressed in one direc-- tion, the lower of the plate?! will be arrested'by the pin 58, the abutment pin it! being at one end of the slot 32 and to on side of straight line drawn between the pivot pin 3 and the abutment pin 36 in which case the interpcser V lby virtue of the finger a l will be maintained in circuit interrupting position, that is to deflect the contact plate 2?, upward spaced from the contact bars 9 iii with the interposer l interposed between the plates 2, and the bars is and 7 iii asshown in Fig. 4. On the other hand, when thearro. 3 is swung into the other direction, see

Fig. the lower edge ie of the plate 3? will again be arrested by the pin 53. In this instance, how- 'ever,the pin ll will be disposed at the other end of the arcuate slot 62 with respect to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the pin at will now be disposed to the other side oi'a traight line drawn between the pivot pin 5 3 and the abutment pin with'respect to the D itiO l h WTI in In this position, in turn, the interposer 'l on er the guidance "of the fingerl ill will have been moved clear-of the plates 2'5 allowing the same under the urge of the springs snugly toen- -gage the-bars 9 and iii in current establishing position, that shown in Fig. 3. 1

in current establishing position the current from thebindi posts it !2 passes through the bars 9 and i then through the contact plates 2'! to the conductors 22 and 2-3 respectively and then to and through the fuses 555 and t? respectively and iron. the fuses Q53 and 3'? through the bus bars 5&3 and GE respectively to the bindiing posts 5% 5i.- The fuses 55 and ii" are mounted in usual way by fuse clips, theclips 52 and being secured between the bar 5 the end pieces and M respectively and the clips secur to the bus bars and n in Fig. 3, or'in engage wavthe fuses liil-and,

extends through the. a

lends itself to the use of a small cover which (1) will cover not only the fuses but also the contact portions, but '(2) will enable the handle of the switch to be exposed and cooperate with the cover to bar or prohibit removal of the cover except when the contact portions are spaced from one another and the circuit is interrupted. To this end, the cover consists essentially of a rectangular container 56 open at one end with a slot 5'! to clear the extension 58 of the cheek plate 4 and another slot .59 through which the handle 39 and part or the enlarged plate portion 3% extends, the handle 39 having a pin 5% extending therethrough With its outwardly projecting ends extending beyond the sides of the slot 59, the pin 6!! being longer than the width of the slot 59 so that the cover 55 cannot be removed when the handle 313 is'in the circuit establishing position, as shown in Fig. 3. However, due tothe recesses 54 and $2 communicating with the slot '59 adjacent the end 63 of the slot 59, when the handle 39 is swung toward the end 53 of vthe slot 59, that shown in Figs. 1 and 4,

the projectingfends of the pin 63 will register with the recesses ti and 52 and permit the cover 55 to be slipped out of the covering position, The cover serves also as a guide for the interposer I when in covering position, the side walls fi land S5 slidably engaging the ends of the interposer It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construc tion without departing from the general spirit of V the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 7 V i In an electric switch, an incoming conductor, an outgoingconductor, a fixed contact connected to the incomin conductor, a movable contact normally urged into engagement with 7 said fix-ed contact, a fuse disposed adjacent to .1- sideof the switch arm 7 tactsto form an exceedingly compact device the interest of conserving space so necessary a the crowded quarters on the crowded instrument board of the average submarine boat and the like.

Furthermora-this compact arrangement also fixed contact, one end of said fuseconnected to the outgoing conductor, an auxiliary conductor extending from said movable contact tothe' other end of said fuse whereby said fixed contact, au ry. conductor and iuseassurne a compact fan-folded reiationship to one an other, and an interposer slidably mounted on said fixed contact and operable'to space said movable contact from saidfixed contact into circuit interrupting position.

. 2; In an electric switch, tact secured to said base, a fuse connected to said base adjacent to said fixed contact, a. movable, contact normally urged into engagement with said fixed contact, incoming conductor connected to one end of said fixed Contact, anionigoing conductor'connected to one end of said fuse, an auxiliary conductor connecting *said fuse and fuse assume a' comp-act fan-folded relationship to one another, an interposer 'slidably mounted on said fixed contact and operable to space said movable contact from said fixed contact circuit interrupting position, a cheek plate mounted on said base to one side of said fixed contact and fuse, a pivotally mounted hana base, a fixed con dle on said check plate, and means for operatively connecting said handle to said interpose to control the operation of said interpcser.

3. In an electric switch, a base, a fixed contact secured to said base, a fuse connected to said base adjacent to said fixed contact, a movable contact normally urged into engagement with said fixed contact, an incoming conductor connected to one end of said fixed contact, an outgoing conductor connected to one end of said fuse, an insulation covered flexible auxiliary conductor connecting said movable cont-act to the other end of said fuse whereby said fixed contact, auxiliary conductor and fuse assume a cornpact fan-folded relationship to one another, an interposer slida-bly mounted on said fixed ccntact and operable t space said movable contact from said fixed contact in circuit interrupting position, a cheek plate mounted on said base to one side of said fixed contact and fuse, a handle having a disk, a pivot pin pivotally connecting said disk to said check plate, a cam pin on said disk, a second disk pivotally mounted on said ivot pin and having an arcuate slot therein receiving said cam pin, a second pin on said second disk, a spring tensed between said second pin and said cam pin forming a toggle relationshi between said disks, and a finger on said second disk operatively connected to said inter poser whereby actuation of said handle will in turn actuate the interposer.

4. In an electric switch, a base, a fixed contact secured to said base, a fuse connected to said base adjacent to said fixed contact, a movable contact, a spring normally urging said movable contact into engagement with said fixed contact, an incoming conductor connected to one end of said fixed contact, an outgoing conductor connected to one end of said fuse, an auxiliary conductor connecting said movable contact to the other end of said fuse whereby said fixed contact, auxiliary conductor and fuse assu: e coinpact fan-folded relationship to one another, an interposer slidably mounted on said fixed contact and operable to space said movable contact from said fixed contact in circuit interruptirg, position, a cheek plate mounted on said base to one side of fixed contact and fuse, a pivo ally mounted handle on said check plate, and toggle means for operatively connecting said handle to said interposer to control the operation of said interposer.

5. In electric switch, a base, a pair of con-- tact bars fixed to said base, a pair of fuses connected to said base and parallel to and adjacent to said bars respectively, a pair of movable contacts, one for each. of said fixed contacts, a for each movable contact normally urging it into engagement with one of said fixed contacts, a pair of incoming conductors connected to one of the ends of said fixed contacts respectively, a pair of outgoing conductors connected to of the ends of said fuses respectively, a pair of flexible auxiliary conductors each connecting one of said movable contacts to the other end of one of said fuses whereby said fixed contacts, auxiliary conductors and fuses assume compact fan-folding relationships to one another, an interposer slidably mounted on said fixed contacts and operable to space both of said movable contacts from said fixed contacts in circuit interrupting position, a cheek plate mounted on said base with a fixed contact auxiliary conductor and fuse to 35 each side of it, a pivotally mounted handle on said cheek plate, and toggle means for operatively connecting said handle to said interposer.

STEPHEN S. GRADY. 

